The Mulberry tree
by Moonphase
Summary: AU Fai and Kurogane are two men living in ancient Babylon. They love each other, but their families are against them being together; will they ever find a way of being together and having their families accept them and their love for one another?


Once upon a time in Ancient Babylon there lived two prestigious families whose homes sat one against another's. One was the House of Flourite, the other was the House of Ginryū.

The House of Flourite were highly adept at the fine arts and magic. From their family sprung philosophers, wizards, artists, musicians, poets, mages and playwrights.

The House of Ginryū were a strong, religious and militant family. Their family had given the Kingdom of Babylon great war heroes, powerful mystics, military strategists and Priests and Priestesses.

Both these families lived next to each and they were fiercely competitive. Each one constantly vied for the most power in all of Babylon and each one consistently tried to out-do one another.

One other thing they had in common was that each had an oldest son who was their pride and joy.

For the Ginryū it was the stalwart warrior-in-training Kurogane.

For the Flourites it was the flighty magician Fai.

xxXXXxx

'_Cruel wall, why do you keep two lovers apart?_

_But we will not be ungrateful._

_We owe you, we confess, the privilege of _

_transmitting loving words to willing ears.'_

xxXXXxx

Kurogane opened his scarlet eyes. It was spring, he could smell the fresh morning air and the flowers and fruits blooming and ripening. The sun was peeping over a large, fluffy white cloud. The sky was a deep sapphire and the birds were singing. Already he could hear the people of his great city preparing for the busy day ahead. He could hear his younger sister, Tomoyo, chatting excitedly to their mother.

Today was the ninth day of the Akitu celebration, a twelve day festival the Babylonians celebrated every year to honour the victory of their main god, Marduk over the evil Tiamat.

He got up and performed some stretching exercises before looking over to the small crack in his bedroom wall. The crack was his only link to Fai, the son of his family's enemies.

He walked up to the crack and bent down whispering into it, "Fai? Fai? Are you awake, can you hear me?" His heart pounded joyfully against his ribs as he heard a softly spoken reply.

"I'm here Kuro-cutie, how are you, are you excited about today?"

"Yes," he smiled, ignoring the stupid nickname Fai had given him. It embarrassed him no end to hear such gooey nonsense from the blond, but he did love Fai very much, so he forgave him his quirks. Plus, when he did get angry Fai would become insufferably giggly about it.

"I would enjoy it more if I could be with you all the time." He added, knowing he shouldn't, their separation being a sore spot in the relationship, but he couldn't help it.

There was a pause before, "I know, I wish to see you too," he heard Fai sigh, "but our parents will never allow it."

Just then Kurogane's mother began calling him for breakfast.

"I have to go now," he rushed, "but I'll see you later?" It wasn't a statement. He and Fai, despite being neighbours, hardly ever saw each other anymore, ever since both came out to their parents and spoke of their love for one another. Both sets of families had been completely against a union between the boys. Male on male relationships were only known to happen in a few of their Holy Temples and that was between the Holy Prostitutes of Ishtar and only lasted one night. For it to happen in normal life, in the same manner of a normal union between man and woman, was simply unheard of. Neither family was prepared to lower their reputation or to give their son over to their enemy's son.

After that the boys were kept as separated as possible. However, luckily for the boys, neither family knew of the tiny crack that had appeared in their wall.

Throughout the night and whenever possible during the day the boys would whisper to one another. In public they would glance at one another, sharing a secret look, before turning away. Through the crack they could sometimes pass a small piece of paper through, which would have on it symbols and messages of love.

Through the families trying to keep them apart, their love had only grown stronger.

"I shall be outside of the city, by the mulberry trees today," replied Fai, "I'm helping to water and decorate them ready for the gods." The mulberry trees were something the Babylonians were very proud of. Every spring they would bring forth bright white berries, that were both beautiful and delicious.

"I will be at the procession, watching the people and making sure no scuffles happen, but I can get away for a short while."

"Alright," Fai sounded slightly breathless and Kurogane knew he was smiling, the knowledge of which made him do the same, "I'll see you later, Kuro-puppy."

xxXXXxx

Outside the streets were loud with people animatedly talking and music playing. Many had on masks ready to dance down the streets in the victory procession. Kurogane joined them, humourlessly walking at the edge of the crowds, keeping a careful eye out for Fai. Sure enough, he saw him. Fai was watching the crowds intently and when he caught Kurogane's eyes, he barely held in his grin.

Taking advantage of the multitude of people and their families being separated off and distracted, the two men met and hid behind some large boulders, just outside the city walls of Babylon. They kissed ardently and passionately and with all the love they had. Moments like this were too rare for them. It was cruel.

Finally they broke apart, each gasping for air, their bruised lips swollen and red, their cheeks heavily blushing and their hair ruffled from each other's grasping hands.

"I can't do this anymore," panted Kurogane, looking at the ground.

Fai turned to him quickly, blue eyes wide with fear, "what do you-?" he began, but Kurogane saw his expression and chuckled.

"I don't mean we should end this," he said, smiling as Fai visibly relaxed. Kurogane sat on the ground and gestured for Fai to join him. Fai sat on his lap and leaned his head against the broad chest. Kurogane leaned down and took in a deep breath, taking in the scent of Fai's hair.

"I love you," he said, Fai's hair muffling his words slightly. He turned his head to the side so that he could speak clearly, "but this can't go on. We have to be together Fai, properly, like a real couple. What, are we supposed to stay this way forever, talking through a crack in the wall?"

"It won't be like this forever," muttered Fai, "my father is arranging a marriage for me."

"What?" Kurogane felt as if his heart had suddenly dropped into a pool of ice, "what?" he repeated stupidly. Fai turned in his lap to face him.

"My father wants me to marry a young woman of a noble family," he looked up at Kurogane, "I don't want to and have told my father I still love you. He was not happy and made it clear to me that I must marry her." His eyes began to fill with tears, the first time it became clear how upset he was, "I love you, and I don't want to marry someone else, but what can we do?"

Kurogane stood, "we'll have to leave Babylon. We'll run away. It's our only chance."

"But how will we live?"

"I'll get work. I'm a soldier and I can fight. You can perform magic, we'll be fine."

"But our families! I have my twin Yuui, and you have Tomoyo."

Kurogane clenched his jaw. He knew Fai was exceedingly close to his twin, and Kurogane hated the idea of leaving his sister alone.

"I don't see what else we can do," he responded sternly, "it is us leaving, or us being apart. We can always come back after we have been together long enough for them to have to accept it. Or we can always find ways of meeting Tomoyo and Yuui in secret."

The two men looked at each other; Fai wide eyed and frightened on the ground, Kurogane imposing and defiant standing up.

Finally, they both sighed and let go of their stances. Kurogane held out a hand and helped Fai up.

"I suppose it is our only chance," said the magician, "and I am sure that both Yuui and Tomoyo will understand why we have done it."

"Alright," Kurogane's calm voice hid his feelings of both fear and anticipation, "then tonight we shall meet here by the mulberry trees. As soon as it is dark and the moon is high. Remember that."

Both men hugged and kissed once more before going their separate ways.

xxXXXxx

That night, Fai sat in his room staring out at the sky. The moon had just appeared and was rising slowly. He put on his outer garments. He had been trying to call Kurogane all night through the crack in the wall, but Kurogane wasn't in.

"_He must be busy with all the festivities_," he thought quietly. Part of him told him to wait at home, to wait until he heard Kurogane and could confirm that he too was leaving the house and would meet him soon. But Fai knew that was stupid. Kurogane had promised to be at the mulberry trees, and so he would be there. With that in mind, Fai pulled on his white and blue cloak, the one that bore the crest of his family and that he knew Kurogane loved.

Slowly, he snuck out of his front door and ran into the night.

He made it to the mulberry trees and sat waiting under them for Kurogane. It was cold and a mist started to settle in. An owl hooted. Fai shivered. He was scared, scared of being alone and scared that the plan would go wrong. Suddenly, he heard a deep, reverberating growl from within the mist.

He went very pale and slowly, so very slowly, stood up. Out of the mist he saw a young lioness prowling. Blood was on her jaws. She had already fed. Her golden-yellow eyes fixed themselves on to his cool blue ones.

"_Maybe she'll go away,"_ he thought, his pounding heart almost deafening it, "_she's already eaten so she can't be hungry."_

The lioness let out a feline growl and leapt towards him. He screamed and turned away. But she had caught the end of his cloak. He shuffled it off quickly and ran whilst the lioness tore the cloak to shreds. By the time it had finished destroying the garment, Fai had already disappeared, hiding away in one of the caves. The lioness, full anyway, decided not to hunt after him. She turned to walk away when she saw a tall, broad shouldered man heading in her direction.

Kurogane halted, looking at the lioness and seeing blood on its face. He took out his sword and charged at the beast. She clawed at his arms and nearly knocked him over with her amazing strength, but he had plunged his sword into her before she had time to. Instead, she was the one who fell to the floor, mouth open and tongue lolling out. She was dead.

Breathing heavily Kurogane scanned the area, calling Fai's name.

Then he saw the clock, blooded and ripped.

It was clear what happened; Fai was waiting for him, but he had taken too long, and the lioness must have come out of the wilderness and killed him.

He dropped to his knees, "god, no, please no!" He picked up the shreds of Fai's garment knowing that somewhere the blooded corpse of his love was lying just as broken as this garment. He began to weep. It wasn't fair...it just wasn't fair...he and Fai were going to be together, they were going to be happy.

"_This is my fault_," he realised, "_if it weren't for me, Fai would be safe and at home in his room. Instead he died, alone and cold and frightened. This is all my fault. It should have been I that died, not him!"_

Taking the sword which he had used to slay the lioness, he placed it in front of his own heart...

xxXXXxx

'_I have been the cause of thy death!_

_Thou, more worthy of life than I, hast _

_fallen the first victim. I shall follow. _

_I am the guilty cause, _

_in tempting thee forth to a place of such peril.'_

xxXXXxx

Meanwhile, in a dark cave Fai crouched shivering with fear. He wanted to stay longer, everything in his being was telling him not to go back out, that it was foolishness, that the lioness would still be there, but he decided that he had to be brave because Kurogane would be waiting for him.

So, he pushed his way back out of the cave and ran back to the mulberry trees. There he saw the remains of his cloak. He sighed, he really loved that cloak. But where was Kurogane?

He looked around, the mist making everything shadowed and strange.

Behind the trees, by the wall, he saw a figure slumped. He walked cautiously towards it, before running when he smelt blood.

He halted when he saw who it was. Kurogane, his own sword in his chest, was almost lying on the floor, blood coming out of his mouth and running down his chest. His eyes were half lidded and flickering.

"Kuro!" screamed Fai, running towards the one he loved and cradling his head, "what...why...why has this happened? This is your sword, did you do this? HELP! HELP! PLEASE ANYONE HELP!" He knew, even as he cried out that no one would come, he and Kurogane were too far away from the main city. Instead, the one he loved lay dying in his arms and there was nothing he could do about it.

Finally, after a few minutes of Fai's heart breaking, Kuogane ceased breathing and his head slumped into Fai's narrow chest.

Fai let out a low whine.

They remained there for a while, Kurogane blooded and messy in Fai's slender arms, until Fai could no longer suffer the pain of knowing that Kurogane was dead and not coming back.

"I am sorry I wasn't brave before," he wept, "it's all my fault. But I can be brave now."

Taking out a small dagger that Kurogane always had in his belt, Fai stabbed his own heart and collapsed on top of Kurogane.

Slowly with his life ebbing away, he prayed that in death they could finally be together in the way they were never allowed to be in life.

_xxXXXxx_

'_Thy own hand has slain thee,_

_And for my sake._

_I too can be brave for once,_

_And my love is as strong as thine._

_I will follow thee into death,_

_For I have been the cause;_

_And death, which alone could part us,_

_Shall not prevent my joining thee._

_And ye, unhappy parents of us both, deny us not out united request._

_As love and death have joined us, let one tomb contain us._

_And thou, tree, retain the marks of slaughter._

_Let thy berries still serve the memorials of our blood.'_

xxXXXxx

The bodies of the two unfortunate lovers were found the following day. Their corpses had drenched the land and trees in blood, staining the white berries in red and drying into a strange purple colour. Their families, both distraught decided to bury them together, as if they were a married couple, giving them and the love they shared the same respect any other heterosexual couples would have.

After that the Mulberry trees always bought forth purple berries instead of the white ones the Babylonians had known before.

* * *

**A.N- This tale is based off an old Grecian story called Pyramus and Thisbe. It is used in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer's Night's Dream' and is very similar to Romeo and Juliet, though personally, I find Pyramus and Thisbe even sadder, as they knew each other longer and seemed very in love (as opposed to infatuated.) **

**Just my view.**

**Please review or if you don't want to, check out my profile page and sign a petition against illegal clinics that are trying to find a 'cure' for homsexulity and persecuting people in the process (full details in my profile, and there's a link to the webpage where you can sign the petition.) **

**I hope to write this pairing again, though maybe happier next time.**


End file.
